Violence against pro-life groups and individuals has been underreported by mainstream media outlets even though it occurs on a fairly regular basis and has for decades. While pro-life activists and organizations have received their share of threats (phone calls, mail, personal threats, online, etc.), more serious attacks of vandalism and even violent assault take place against pro-lifers with little mention in the press.

The false painting of pro-life groups as hateful and violent even led to a deranged gunman seeking to shoot staff at the pro-life Family Research Council. In 2009, Harlan Drake shot and murdered pro-life activist James Pouillon, while Pouillon displayed images of babies outside a Michigan school. Recently a man was indicted on federal charges after threatening to kill or rape members of Operation Rescue. Other threats to pro-lifers involving guns — including one by an abortionist — have thus far ended peacefully.

Live Action News previously documented an act of arson committed against Janet Folger Porter, who wrote about the incident in her book, True to Life, where she published this image of her car which was burned:

The abortion lobby, with the help of complicit pro-abortion media has portrayed pro-lifers as “violent” with regularity. The effort is led by the National Abortion Federation (NAF), which collects alleged “violence and disruption” claims from abortion providers and publishes them annually. While there are serious incidents listed, the report lacks evidence that every alleged act is being committed by pro-life advocates and not a disgruntled employee, angry family member, or random criminal. In addition, NAF pads the numbers by including incidents of non-violent civil disobedience and protest.

Unfortunately, while pro-life groups focus on rescuing babies and helping their mothers, to my knowledge, there is not currently a national system to report pro-abortion violence. However violence has been documented by Live Action News and other groups.

Brian Clowes at Human Life International collected data on pro-choice violence for many years. According to a report from Life News, Clowes published 1,200 pages of descriptions and documentation. The research, no longer published online, tracked violence committed by abortion providers (some in prison for murder), by pro-choice men who assaulted or murdered girlfriends for refusing to submit to abortion, and by pro-choice supporters who attacked pro-life sidewalk counselors.

“If people truly understood how backwards the media narrative is regarding the supposed intolerance and violence of pro-lifers, compared to that of ‘pro-choicers,’ we would be having a very different conversation about abortion in our nation today,” Clowes once told the Susan B. Anthony List.

Threatening letter sent to pro-life group Operation Rescue

The pro-life group Life Dynamics recently issued a report that shows abortion providers have been sexually assaulting and raping their clients for years. “In my 1996 book, Lime 5, I referenced more than 30 documented criminal cases in which abortion clinic doctors had been charged with raping or sexually assaulting their patients. In just these few cases, several hundred women were known to have been victimized,” president Mark Crutcher noted. There are also many other reported cases.

Life Dynamics also tracked incidents of forced abortion, and when the pro-life group created a tool called a “force form” to help protect women and thwart coercion, they claimed abortion advocates condemned it. Life Dynamics wrote:

Of course, the abortion industry has known for years that forced abortions are a problem – there have even been discussions about it at National Abortion Federation conferences. The discussions at these meetings reveal that the same people who advocate for “choice” to the media, politicians, and the country – [have] a stance of “convenient indifference” when it comes to women being forced to get abortions. They acknowledge its existence and talk about it in disapproving tones, while making it clear that they feel no obligation to let it influence the way they deal with these women.

In the interest of full disclosure, I conducted research for Life Dynamics’ “Under the Radar” report documenting how women who refuse to submit to abortion are attacked or assaulted. As the report details, the media is quite silent about this form of abortion-related violence:

[W]hen we were able to obtain copies of police reports, indictments, court records or other similar documentation for these cases, they would almost universally show that when a perpetrator is confronted by an unwanted pregnancy, his first response is not violence but a demand that his partner have an abortion. When violence ensues, it is inevitably a reaction to her refusal to comply.

However, the media’s coverage of these incidents often contains no mention of abortion. Instead, they either portray women who are attacked for refusing to have abortions as women who are attacked for getting pregnant, or they characterize the incident as one of simple “domestic violence” in which the victim’s pregnancy is basically inconsequential.

While the media touts pro-abortion violence statistics, consistently left out is the fact that women are injured and even killed by the abortion industry — Laura Hope Smith, and like Planned Parenthood patients Cree-Erwin and Tonya Reaves. I attended the funeral of Carolina Gutierrez and previously detailed how her agonizing death following her legal abortion took weeks. The infection was so horrific, she developed gangrene, enduring amputations prior to her death.

Carolina Gutierrez woman killed from legal abortion (Image credit Carole Novielli with permission of the family at the time)

As we move closer to fully abolishing abortion in the United States, violence against pro-lifers is expected to intensify. But, despite the dangers, every pro-life activist and organization understands that the act of abortion itself is the most heinous form of violence on innocent preborn babies.

This article is reprinted with permission. The original appeared here at Live Action News.

The only Christian in Pakistan’s Cabinet was assassinated Wednesday by militants linked to al-Qaida after he called for the country’s controversial laws on blasphemy to be amended.

Shahbaz Bhatti, the minister for religious minorities, had just left his mother’s house in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, and was traveling to work in Islamabad when gunmen sprayed his car with bullets.

The assassination, the second in two months over the blasphemy law, was a reminder of the surge of extremism that is sweeping Pakistan, a nuclear-armed nation that is a key U.S. ally in the region.

Both President Barack Obama and Pope Benedict XVI condemned the killing.

“Minister Bhatti fought for, and sacrificed his life for, the universal values that Pakistanis, Americans and people around the world hold dear – the right to speak one’s mind, to practice one’s religion as one chooses, and to be free from discrimination based on one’s background or beliefs,” Obama said.

In January, Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab province and another prominent politician from the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party, was gunned down by one of his own bodyguards after he, too, had called for amendments to the blasphemy law after a Christian woman was sentenced to death under the statute. The law requires the death penalty for people found guilty of insulting Islam or the Prophet Muhammad.

Many Pakistanis celebrated Taseer’s death. His alleged killer was showered with rose petals as he made his first court appearance, and some Muslim clerics called for the death of others seeking reform of the blasphemy law – hate speech that went unpunished by the authorities.

Bhatti, a 42-year-old Roman Catholic, also had campaigned for the law’s reform. A leaflet left at the assassination site threatened further violence and said that an “infidel Christian” shouldn’t have been allowed to head a committee looking at amending the law – the government has repeatedly denied that any such committee exists.

“With the blessing of Allah, the mujahedeen will send each of you to hell,” the leaflet said.

Bhatti knew well that his life was in danger, but was uncowed by the many death threats he’d received. In January, he told an interviewer that he was ready to die. “Forces of darkness cannot threaten me,” he said.

As you read through this horribly tragic story – you will be rightly outraged. I have only one question for you to ponder- “What are the acceptable reasons for abortion?” Answer: Because the child will not be “Normal” or the child will be “Handicapped” a/k/a “Medical Reasons, Health of Child” – so …

If this story of 2 born children makes you angry, it should, but if the “choice” of a mother to “kill/murder” her unborn children for similar reasons doesn’t make you angry- then you are not honest !

The woman believed to have strangled her two young children to death said she killed her children because they were autistic and because she wanted normal children.

In the 911 call released Wednesday, the woman can be heard explaining to the 911 dispatcher how she killed both of her children Monday afternoon.

At one point during the recording, the woman hangs up and the dispatcher calls her back.

“I used wire on their neck,” the woman can be heard saying. “They are not doing anything. They are just blue, and they are like, they are not taking any breaths. Their heart is not beating.”

The woman told the dispatcher that she called her husband, who was at work, before she called the police and that he was on his way home.

“They are both not normal, not normal. They are autistic. Both are autistic. I don’t want my kids to be like that. I don’t want, I want normal kids,” said the woman. “First, I tried to give them bathroom cleaner. I put in their mouth, but they don’t drink it. I want them to drink, but they don’t drink it.”

When asked by the 911 dispatcher what she was feeling, the woman replied, “nothing.”

The operator kept the woman talking on the phone for more than 10 minutes while officers drove to the location.

At one point, water can be heard running in the background and the dispatcher asks what the woman is doing. She told the operator she was trying to wash the smell of cleaner off of her hands. The dispatcher then told the woman to go sit on a couch in the living room and wait for police.

At the end of the recording, police can be heard arriving at the home.
When they arrived, they found Zain Akhter, 5, and Faryaal Akhter, 2, in serious distress. Zain was pronounced dead at the hospital that evening while his sister, Faryall, was listed in very critical condition. Faryall’s condition grew more grim the next morning until she succumbed to her injuries at about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The medical examiner’s office ruled the boy’s death a homicide by strangulation and planned an autopsy later Wednesday on the girl.

The mother of the children, 30-year-old Saiqa Akhter, was taken into custody after officers arrived. She was arraigned Wednesday morning in connection with Zain’s death and will be held without bail. She is to be arraigned in connection with Faryaal’s death Wednesday afternoon.

The woman has requested a court-appointed attorney but one has yet to be assigned, an Irving jail official said. If convicted of capital murder, Akhter could face the death penalty, though prosecutors have not said if they will seek that punishment. Otherwise, she could face life in prison without parole.

Zain was buried Wednesday in Richardson. Funeral services for Faryaal are scheduled for Thursday.

Saiqa Akhter told the 911 dispatcher the children’s father, Rashid Akhter, was at work at the time. She said on the call that she had called him and told him what she had done.

Saiqa Akhter’s uncle, Wasimul Haque, told The Dallas Morning News that his niece had been depressed since moving into a new apartment in Irving. Haque said Zain had autism and a severe speech impediment but had been improving and was in speech therapy.

So how the news media spins this – Drake admitted that he didn’t like Jim Pouillon’s pro-life sign and that was why he brought a gun to the place where Jim was picketing? But the media wants to spin this as a “Grudge” and not a pro-choice murder. Drake may have held a grudge against Mike Fusso the other man he shot, but he didn’t even know James Pouillon – he just drove up to him one day and emptied his gun into his body because he disliked his graphic pro-life signs – THAT is hardly a grudge- that is belief based !

“We are coming to South Florida to first honor the lives and work of Mr. Ocean and Sufra. They were gunned down shortly after sharing God’s love on the streets of Boynton Beach with struggling and hurting people.

“We are also coming to seek assurances that Christians preaching the Word of God on public streets will be protected by local and federal law enforcement officials and that any violations of federal laws and civil rights will be thoroughly investigated.

“Finally, the greatest tribute we can give these two preachers is organizing a prayer rally and day of publicly sharing the gospel on the streets of Boynton Beach. Something these men gave their lives for.”

“This senseless crime has made martyrs out of two fine young Christian preachers. Their courageous example has made us determined to not let their deaths be in vain.

“We cannot and will not allow the message of God’s transforming love in Jesus Christ to be silenced anywhere in America.”

For more information or interviews contact:

Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney at 540.538.4741 202.547.1735

Dr. Gary Cass 954.551.9770

**

Man arrested on charges of shooting street preachers in Boynton Beach

February 03, 2010 By Jerome Burdi, Sun Sentinel

Boynton Beach — Preaching the word of God brought two street ministers to the man who killed them, police said.

Jeriah Woody, 18, was arrested Wednesday and charged in the double murder in Boynton Beach.

According to police: Victims Tite Sufra, 24, and Stephen Ocean, 23, were shot and killed Saturday night after meeting Woody on Southwest First Street and Second Avenue standing under a tree.

They preached to him for 15 minutes when Woody got a phone call and told the preachers he had to go. They kept walking down Second Avenue when Woody suddenly started walking toward them. Sufra walked up to meet him and was met with a gunshot. Ocean then ran and was shot in the back.

When he fell, Woody shot him in the head, execution style, police said.

Police found Woody through his street name, Plug, and he was identified through a witness. Woody surrendered to police on Wednesday and was charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

According to Florida Department of Law Enforcement records, Woody has been arrested on burglary, theft and drug-related charges.

In her Boynton Beach home, Sufra’s mother, Vertilia St. Remy, said her son left behind a widow, but would not comment further after being told not to by her daughter, who was “very shaken.”

Daniel Hicks, who is still on the run, was charged with two counts of aggravated first-degree murder
U.S. police are hunting a father who shot dead his 13-week-old baby daughter – because she had not been born a boy.
Daniel Hicks, 29, also gunned down the mother of his newborn daughter before going on the run.

Relatives told police in Seattle, Washington, that Hicks was disappointed his first born child was not a boy.

They said he was unhappy that his girlfriend Jennifer Morgan became pregnant and had failed to bond with his daughter Ema.

Morgan’s mother said he had expressed regret that his newborn daughter was not a boy.

According to KIROTV.com A report from the Medical Examiner’s Office said Morgan was shot at least 12 times and her daughter was shot at least seven times.

Court documents said Hicks’ half-sister told police Hicks wanted Morgan to get an abortion and Hicks claimed that Morgan was trying to trap him with her pregnancy.

Daniel T. Hicks, 29, was arrested at gunpoint at about 11 a.m. after police traced a phone call he had made from a pay phone, said Santa Cruz Police Department spokesman Capt. Steve Clark. One law-enforcement source said Hicks had called a relative, who alerted police.

Hicks, who was on the phone when police arrived, was cooperative, Clark said. He told police he knew why he was being arrested, indicating that it was because he was “a bad person,” according to Clark.

King County Senior Deputy Prosecutor James Konat and Seattle police homicide detectives flew to California on Monday afternoon to work on the investigation and to address Hicks’ extradition. It wasn’t immediately known how long it would take authorities to bring Hicks back to Washington. After Hicks was arrested, police found his white 2006 Chevrolet pickup in Weed, Calif., just south of the Oregon border. Weed is about 344 miles from the seaside city of Santa Cruz.

It wasn’t immediately clear how Hicks had gotten from Weed to Santa Cruz.

Hicks has been charged with two counts of aggravated first-degree murder in the slayings of his 28-year-old girlfriend, Jennifer “J” Morgan, and their 13-week-old daughter, Ema Morgan. Their bodies were discovered last Tuesday morning in the Beacon Hill home where the young family lived with Jennifer Morgan’s mother.

Hicks reloaded his .45-caliber handgun at least twice while firing 12 rounds of ammunition into his girlfriend and seven rounds into their infant, charging documents allege.
The King County prosecutor’s office is considering whether to seek the death penalty against Hicks. Under state law, a first-degree-murder conviction carries only two possible sentences: life in prison without parole or the death penalty.

Seattle police were aware Hicks had gone to California after the slayings because he phoned his father collect from San Jose on Wednesday. His father, who didn’t speak with Hicks, alerted Seattle homicide detectives.

Memorial for pro-lifer Jim Pouillon gunned down by violent pro-choicer

With only a day’s notice, nearly 300 people attended the Sunday, Sept. 13th vigil for slain pro-lifer Jim Pouillon. With several reporters and TV cameras present, hymns were sung, prayers were offered, testimonials were proclaimed and Scripture readings declared. Scripture readings included: Isaiah 50: 4-9, Psalm 116 and Mark 8: 27-38: “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it and whosever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.”

These words describe perfectly what happened to dedicated pro-lifer and devout Christian Jim Pouillon. Your CPLS director stated: “Jim was killed because he held the photo of a victim of abortion. Anyone who holds such a sign stands next to Jesus as he hangs on the Cross. To stand with such a sign is to place yourself on the side of the outcast, the abandoned, the unwanted, the misunderstood–and in that way you you stand next to Jesus on the Cross. No matter what anyone wants to say about Jim’s death–especially those who support abortion– he died for his faith and he died for the cause of life. That is the meaning of his death. He was a voice for the outcast and now his blood had been mixed with theirs.
His death must cause us to re-commit ourselves to the pro-life cause. We must become more generous, be willing to take risks and make sacrifices–allow ourselves to be spent for this cause. The pro-life cause is worth living for–it is worth dying for.”

Jim Pouillon

Frank Samson– the brave motorist who saw the gunman, Harlan Drake–followed him in his car after he shot Jim- and wrote down Drake’s license plate number. He turned over the information to the police who captured Drake before he was able to kill his third intended victim. Thus, Mr. Samson saved a life that day.

OBITUARY

James Lawrence Pouillon, age 63, of Owosso, died Friday, September 11th, 2009 at Memorial Healthcare Center. Private family services have been held with cremation following.

A memorial service will be held at 1 pm Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at Willman Field (OHS Stadium), 301 South Dewey Street, Owosso with Pastor David L. Knox officiating.

James was born in Ovid, Michigan on March 30, 1946, the son of Laurence and Kathryn (Rourke) Pouillon. He attended Owosso Public Schools, graduating in 1965. Jim was named captain of the football team his senior
year. Jim was married to the former Mary Lou Kadera of Owosso who was killed in a traffic accident in 2001. Following graduation, Jim enlisted in the U.S. Army. Taking his basic training at Ft. Knox, KY, and then
serving in Vietnam as a radio operator. During his tour, he was wounded by shrapnel in the shoulder. Although presented with the Purple Heart, he refused to accept it. Returning home Jim studied briefly at Michigan
State University. He then was hired by GM and worked at and retiring from Buick Motors/Flint in the crib. He was a member of the UAW, Operation Rescue and the US Taxpayer Party. He loved the outdoors, be it hunting,
fishing or in his garden. Jim also coached in the KICS football program.

Those considering an expression of sympathy are asked to consider the Pregnancy Resource Center, 217 North Washington Street, Owosso.

Mr. Pouillon’s family gratefully acknowledges the generosity of the Owosso Public Schools, Interim Supt. Susan Wooden and the Owosso Board of Education for allowing the use of Willman Field. The family also wishes
the community to realize that by allowing the service to be held at Willman reflects only the compassion of the district to a member of our community and to an alumnus of OHS. It does not reflect in any way an
endorsement by the Owosso Public Schools of any political agenda.